Barretstown was founded by Hollywood actor Paul Newman in 1994 after the success of his Hole In The Wall Camps in the USA. He had been looking at places in English-speaking countries to set up a European camp, so the transfer of his concept would be easier. He decided to set up the first camp at Barretstown Castle and started the |  |
charity with $2 million of his own money located on the
Barretstown Estate, kindly donated by the Irish Government, on a 99-year lease at a cost of £1 per year (Irish pounds).
The Government had brought Paul to see it and he decided it was ideal. The house and grounds had a magical feel to them and lots of space for the children to have fun whilst being close enough to Our Lady's Hospital for Sick Children in Dublin to ensure high-quality medical care was always available.
Barretstown has grown from serving 124 children in a marquee in 1994 to over 12,000 children and their families from 23 European countries. The site has grown to offer a first-class facility for seriously ill children with an excellent medical centre and a unique therapeutic programme backed by the medical community.
All of the children and families have come to Barretstown free of charge. The families don’t pay a cent. Everything, including accommodation, food, medical assistance and round-trip airfares are provided.
